Year 1

In year 1 this week, we have been busy thinking about sharing with halves and quarters. We used our accurate mathematical vocabulary to explain that a half has 2 equal parts and a quarter has 4 equal parts. We enjoyed used paper shapes and even some yummy looking cakes to show making a quarter in 4 equal parts. We then applied our knowledge to sharing out different amounts of counters to find a quarter.

In English, we have been using the suffix ‘er’ to write comparative sentences about the penguins from our book ‘The Emperor’s Egg’. We combined our geography knowledge of where penguins live in the South Pole to help us think of things to write about. 

In science, we used our scientific skills of classifying and observing to sort everyday objects based on their properties. We worked hard in our table teams to discuss which objects needed to be in each group. 

In geography, we used images and photographs to look for clues as to what the climate might be like in the Sahara desert. We used our geographical skills of knowing about the equator to decide that it must be a hot place. We loved looking at the different animals and plants that we could find there, even the tarantula!

   

                  

                                    

Key Messages

• Key vocab: Sahara desert, classifying, properties, suffix, compare, quarter, half 

• The Phonics Screening Check is commencing on the week of the 10th June. Please continue to read with your child daily and use the phonics portal (https://sites.google.com/thevineyardschool.org/phonicsthevineyard/home) to help support your child at home.

 

Year 2

This week, we continued our Kandinsky inspired artwork with a focus on colours and colour mixing.  The artist Kandinsky saw colours as music in addition to hearing music while he painted.  Linking this idea, we also presented music in another way after exploring cuban music in English and putting this into words: what we heard, how we moved, what we felt.  We learnt that words like snap, boing, ding and boom are called onomatopoeia and can be really effective in writing, particularly if used alongside alliteration.  This has all been in response to the new text ‘Drum, Dream Girl’ based on Millo Castro Zaldarriaga. 

The new topic in maths is time, starting with recapping of o’clock and half past and then moving on to quarter past and quarter to.  Knowing the 5 times tables has been useful as we gained an understanding of how analogue clocks show intervals of 5 minutes.

Different styles of housing and the reason behind this have been looked at in Geography. Although Sao Paulo is a prosperous and large city in Brazil, there are some houses that have been built by the people that live in them, packed together closely.  Did you know that the largest favela in Brazil is home to 75,000 people?

  

                             

Key Messages

• Key vocab: hours, minutes, o’clock, half past, quarter past, quarter to, poem, onomatopoeia, alliteration, rhyme, housing, favelas, investigation.

• PE days are Thursday and Friday so please ensure children are suitably dressed so that they can take part in the activities safely and comfortably.

• Please continue to bring recording records and reading books every Monday.